GeorgiaSouthernBCMhttp://georgiasouthernbcm.com
Baptist Collegiate MinistriesWed, 28 Feb 2018 21:33:58 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.3http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/true-1-150x150.jpgGeorgiaSouthernBCMhttp://georgiasouthernbcm.com
3232Chipping away…http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/12/10/chipping-away/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/12/10/chipping-away/#respondSun, 10 Dec 2017 18:42:39 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=1214 Chipper Gaston Campus Minister Intern 2017-2018 Georgia Southern University Baptist Collegiate Ministries This has been quite a busy semester! On a weekly basis: I meet with 7-8 student leaders each week, discipling them and helping them to minister within the BCM and on the campus. Each of these students is at a […]

I meet with 7-8 student leaders each week, discipling them and helping them to minister within the BCM and on the campus. Each of these students is at a different place of growth. One of them has even made the decision to be baptized as a result of our discipleship meetings!

I help to lead our

International student Walmart runs every Wednesday night and go to International Conversation Hour every Friday. Through these intentional relationship- building events, we are able to reach the nations, right here in our own back yard.

Each Monday night I lead a men’s bible study. We have been studying and applying the principles of 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, learning to become mature men of God.

Here are a few highlights from just the areas of my responsibility:

Outreach– During the first week of school, we were handing out popsicles and Chick-fila coupons with a BCM flyer attached. We were able to give out hundreds of popsicles and coupons, and this proved helpful in bringing a number of new students to our PrimeTime worship services. We came to them, and they in turn came to us… kind like it should be each day of our lives, huh?

Evangelism- Early e semester, we did something called “The Great Exchange” on campus. Many on campus are truly eager to find out the real truth of the Christian faith. By the time we finished, five students had come to know Jesus and the gospel was shared with many others. There have been a few students who have really gotten excited about evangelism. Through some regular evangelism on campus, they’ve learned about how surprisingly easy it is to share their faith and various way of sharing their faith. Some now look forward to opportunities to be on campus to share the gospel.

Community Missions- We were asked by a local Women’s Crisis Response outreach to paint the porch of their new building. For two Saturdays in a row,

we brought dozens of students to finish the job. At the end of the first day, we prayed for the work that would be done in the building and specifically for the woman in charge of the project. She shared how touched she was that these BCM students would not only work so hard but also be so caring for her in particular.

Missions Fundraising- We’ve had multiple fundraisers for student missions: Chicken-que, Murder Mystery dinner theater, and Beard Auction. We are grateful for all who helped to make each of these a success. We’ve been able to raise thousands of dollars to send students around the world with the good news of Christ. We hope to keep the momentum into next semester. THANK you to all who have helped us.

International Students- Throughout the semester during Walmart runs, I’ve been able to talk frequently with a woman from another country and from another faith. Not being from here, there are some American cultural things she’s had trouble understanding. I’ve been able to discuss them through the lens of an American and a Christian. This has given an opportunity for me to discuss my faith with her. There have also been some students who have really enjoyed and gotten excited about interacting with international students. They’ve had some good opportunities to discuss their faith and made good relationships which hopefully will continue through next semester and maybe even beyond.

]]>http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/12/10/chipping-away/feed/0Do Not Give Up, Do Not Give In… the impact of a faithful leader.http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/12/01/not-give-not-give-impact-faithful-leader/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/12/01/not-give-not-give-impact-faithful-leader/#respondFri, 01 Dec 2017 05:46:12 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=1198IMPACT As we near the end of this semester, I am reminded that leadership and commitment are often hard, challenging, draining, and frustrating while at the same time life giving, character building (often in ways we don’t even see), fruit nurturing, and impactful– in Christ’s measurements of what that means. Galatians 6:9 tells us, […]

IMPACT

As we near the end of this semester, I am reminded that leadership and commitment are often hard, challenging, draining, and frustrating while at the same time life giving, character building (often in ways we don’t even see), fruit nurturing, and impactful– in Christ’s measurements of what that means.

Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

If you are a Christian, your ultimate example in living YOUR life is Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith.” He is always faithful, even when (maybe especially when), you have been faithless. And yet, He has chosen you to serve and you have responded with, “HERE AM I, SEND ME!” …and not for just when it is easy and it is good for you, but when it is hard.

When you don’t like it anymore, will you just give up and give in?

When “the grass looks greener” somewhere else, will you just turn and run there?

When no when seems to be paying enough attention to you, will you stop serving?

When life takes a turn you haven’t anticipated, will you no longer be committed??!!

I love each of our leadership and I am so thankful for those who have come before us and for those who now serve. I remember the words of Hebrews 12 and think of those who have laid the foundation for us today…

1″Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do Not Grow Weary3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

College ministry is so important, timely, and relevant. I look forward to what God is going to do through BCM leaders simply because we stayed the course and were faithful to HIM, even when we were at times unsure, anxious, troubled, and disjointed. Let’s recommit to our first Love and decide we will love one another, each choose to be the leaders God is calling US to be, and challenge one another to be the best we can be to meet the needs God has given us on this campus and to the world—true disciples who are seeking to raise up other disciple- makers of Christ!

]]>http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/12/01/not-give-not-give-impact-faithful-leader/feed/0What does it mean….http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/11/20/what-does-it-mean/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/11/20/what-does-it-mean/#respondMon, 20 Nov 2017 04:43:44 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=1188CHIPPER GASTON What does it mean to be a young leader for Christ? That’s not a common question the average Christian college student will hear on a Sunday morning at their local church. However, this is no fresh issue with the church . Paul w rote to Timothy “Let no one look down on your […]

What does it mean to be a young leader for Christ?

That’s not a common question the average Christian college student will hear on a Sunday morning at their local church. However, this is no fresh issue with the church . Paul w

rote to Timothy

“Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:12

Paul knew that people would question Timothy’s ability to lead the church in Ephesus because of how young he was. He was telling Timothy to prove those objectors wrong in showing how he was the right person to lead that church. It doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are in the flesh. What truly matters is who you are in the Spirit.

We can take these ideas from Paul and embrace them in our own lives. Here are a few things to keep in mind in order to live out being a young leader for Christ.

The first step to take is a willingness to be used by God. Start with saying to God “Here I am, send me” just like Isaiah did, and God will use you. God can’t use you if you don’t take the first step and follow His leading. He requires your obedience and humility so that you follow His plan, not your own, and His plan is more perfect and more detailed than anything we can come up with.

The most important thing for us to do in order to be effective leaders for Christ is for us to spend time with God each day. Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” We need to constantly be filled with the Holy Spirit if we are going to have success with ministry and with anything else we put our hands to. We also don’t need to give God our leftovers when we spend time with Him. George Mueller made the assertion that he was so busy that he couldn’t afford to spend less than four hours a day in prayer. We can all learn from that example.

Lastly, we don’t need to underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit in us. Five Williams’ College students started the Haystack Revival at the beginning of the 1800s, so why can’t history repeat itself now with us? The same Holy Spirit that was alive in the early church is alive in us today, so let’s not put the Holy Spirit in a box and tell Him what He can do. We need to listen for His leading and watch our expectations be blown away.

Young adults, we don’t need to let others look down on our youth. We may be able to prove them wrong, if we depend on God as our guide. We CAN do incredible things in the name of Jesus. Ask God to use you to do things that will blow your mind, and He will!

]]>http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2017/11/20/what-does-it-mean/feed/0Faithful He Ishttp://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/08/30/faithful-he-is/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/08/30/faithful-he-is/#respondTue, 30 Aug 2016 03:59:32 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=707Hey beautiful people. So, I started writing this blog post June 12th and never finished it… but I still want to share my thoughts with yall! Enjoy 🙂 “Hey y’all! For those of you who don’t know, i’m working at a camp in New Mexico called Glorieta! Through SendMeNow and the Lord’s goodness, I […]

]]>Hey beautiful people. So, I started writing this blog post June 12th and never finished it… but I still want to share my thoughts with yall! Enjoy

“Hey y’all! For those of you who don’t know, i’m working at a camp in New Mexico called Glorieta! Through SendMeNow and the Lord’s goodness, I will be here for a total of twelve weeks this summer. Four down, eight to go!

Before coming to Glorieta, I heard many great things about the camp. Two of my friends have worked here previously and they told me all about how great Glorieta was. After packing my things at the last minute (what’s new?), I got on my first plane and headed out to good ole’ New Mexico (with a short layover in Texas). I hopped off the plane and went to find the Glorieta guy at baggage claim. I met the group with my nervous, awkward self and introduced myself to the nine other girls standing there with their luggage. And we were off.. We quickly broke barriers and got to know the basics of each other. This whole time, I felt The Lord so close to me. He is so faithful!!!

Sooooo we stopped in Sante Fe to eat and go to Wally world. There were two Australians on my van and they said this was the first Walmart they had ever been to. WHAT. After our stop, we were on our way to GLORIETA!!! One girl, Blake, who was on the van is also working with family camp! We figured that out on the bus ride and I was so thankful to (kinda) know someone that I would be working with for the entire summer! So we arrived at Glorieta. It’s a pretty big (and overwhelming) place. But The Lord is very present and He is working.”

It was cool that I ran across this blog post today. It brings back the memories, excitement, and overflowing joy that I had at this time! Y’all, God is SO faithful. Even when we are faithless.

God taught me a lot this summer. He showed me His faithfulness. He showed me how to be a humble servant. He showed me how to love people like He loves people. He showed me a glimpse of His majesty. He showed me that He is the only One that satisfies. He showed me the important of discipleship and how He discipled. He showed me the beauty of family. He showed me that the troubles of this life are only temporary but that His goodness is ETERNAL. He showed me the importance of vulnerability and confrontation. He grew me and taught me all these things because I allowed Him too. I put my trust in Him and tried not to rely on my own abilities. It wasn’t easy and sometimes I failed, but he is ever faithful.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. // Lamentations 3:22-23

]]>http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/08/30/faithful-he-is/feed/0Fight the World with The Wordhttp://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/07/17/fight-the-world-with-the-word/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/07/17/fight-the-world-with-the-word/#respondSun, 17 Jul 2016 10:44:08 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=782Hi sweet friends!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! I do know from speaking to some of you that this summer has had its challenges. This life is not easy. We all know that. We have days that are easier to get out of bed than others. We have days when all we […]

]]>Hi sweet friends!!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
I do know from speaking to some of you that this summer has had its challenges. This life is not easy. We all know that. We have days that are easier to get out of bed than others. We have days when all we want to do is give in to the parts of us that say we’re not good enough and the parts that tell us to just give up. And days that the drama and chaos of life threaten to swallow us whole.
I just want to encourage you all that when we start to have these days and feel this way, we have to run to The Word. We need food and when we don’t eat we feel tired and weak and sometimes hangry. It’s the same when we don’t fill ourselves with The Word. God wants to remind us of His promises and His love through His Word.
The verse that has echoed through my thoughts since I left the states is Psalm 61:2, “From the ends of the Earth I call to you, when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I” !!!
Oh what a God we have that is so much higher and greater than we are! That we don’t have to rely on our own strength to survive this life because we just can’t without His!

I have learned so much from my summer in East Asia and I cannot wait to come back to Statesboro and be reunited with my boro family. I am so excited to walk alongside you all in faith this next year!

Anyways I just wanted to encourage y’all to keep pushing, even when it’s tough. And run to the Word when the world pushes you away. I love y’all oh so much!!

]]>http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/07/17/fight-the-world-with-the-word/feed/0Worth the Waitehttp://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/07/08/worth-the-waite/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/07/08/worth-the-waite/#respondFri, 08 Jul 2016 19:20:01 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=779God always has a way of amazing me. Always- especially this summer. The end of school/start of summer made me very uneasy just because I knew that I was no longer going to be around my friends and BCM family for a couple of months. Everyone goes their separate ways- family time, vacation, mission trips- […]

]]>God always has a way of amazing me. Always- especially this summer. The end of school/start of summer made me very uneasy just because I knew that I was no longer going to be around my friends and BCM family for a couple of months. Everyone goes their separate ways- family time, vacation, mission trips- everyone is on their own for a bit. That is what made me the most nervous. I would no longer have Primetime every Tuesday for fellowship and worship with some really awesome people. The sHebrews bible study was officially over. No more craziness at Sonic with our favorite server that always seems to be working when we go.

It was just me. How could I stay in the word by myself? How could I serve without the BCM being open? How am I going to survive this summer? Just me. Then God reminded me. I am not by myself- I never am. While God wants us to have friends, accountability partners and people we can just walk through life with, we often find ourselves relying on those relationships more than our relationship with God, and maybe we even rely too much on those people to further our relationship with Christ. I know that is how I have been the past few months. I thought without those people there by my side 24/7, I was going to lose some of my faith, trust, and love for God. Little did I know, that is when God does some of the most miraculous work.

Going home, I was really determined to actually dig into the word. It was so cool, because my parents and I actually talked about what God was doing in our lives and how we were struggling. It made it easier to dig in during my quiet times, because I wanted to encourage my family and help in any way that I could. Coming back to Statesboro was more difficult. There was absolutely no one. I was living alone with my crazy cat, and I had no motivation whatsoever. I was lazy… physically and spiritually. God knew it, of course. And that is when He laid it on my roommates heart to text and check up on me. Praise. If you don’t have anyone in your life that will ask you the hard questions, I pray that God will put that person (or those people) in your life sometime soon. Because as much as we dread to answer the hard questions, or even think about them, they need to be asked and addressed. Needless to say, I told her the truth and she encouraged me in every way that she could. Perfect timing on Gods part, as always.

The next day, I went to Daily Grind (what’s new?) to talk to and listen to God. I had no idea where to start, so I sat for a while. Then I looked down at the front of my bible which reads, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.” Romans 15:13. BOOM. Amazed. I am signed up to receive random devotion texts sometimes, and not even an hour later after God shoved Romans 15:13 in my face, He slapped me in face with “Jesus was intentional to rest FROM ministry to enjoy fellowship with the Father. Be disciplined in your rest, so that you will be effective FOR ministry.” SO needed that. I was so worried about not having people to keep me accountable and God said, “yo. I gotchyu cuh.” Well, I am pretty positive God doesn’t talk like that, but thats who I am so. bye. Anyways, God knew exactly what I needed to hear exactly when I needed to hear it. There is nothing wrong with resting- it’s where you find your rest that is important. Something I am guilty of (on many occasions) is staying in bed all day watching Netflix. It seems like a great idea and a way to just relax, but really… if you are not spending time in the truth, there is absolutely no way that you can be as relaxed and rested as you need to be in order to bring glory to His name. It’s easier said than done, I know. But the hard times tend to seem even more difficult when the Word and your relationship with Christ isn’t top priority.

I know that being far from friends and accountability partners can be extremely difficult. Its easy to think that you are all alone, that you’re going to “get behind” on your time with God. Don’t let it happen. You need this time with just you & God. I definitely did. Now when all of my friends and fellow council members get back to Statesboro, I will not have to rely on them for my relationship with God. I will know how to do it on my own. With that being said, I know that I can’t do it completely on my own. God has placed people in my life to pour into me, encourage me, love me, and walk with me. Thats how He made us- relational.

I pray that everyone will run after God with everything they have this summer. When everyone is back together in August, relationships/sisterhoods/brotherhoods will be stronger because of the deepened relationships with Christ. That is super encouraging to me. This was a lot to read, so I am sorry. Cant wait to see everyone back in August! It’ll be worth the Waite

]]>http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/07/08/worth-the-waite/feed/0Finding Our Joy…http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/07/04/finding-our-joy/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/07/04/finding-our-joy/#respondMon, 04 Jul 2016 17:26:44 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=774John Piper in his book, “When I don’t Desire God…how to fight for joy, says that we are to fight to know and to take joy in the person of Jesus himself. This should not be a struggle per se. “The fight for joy is the struggle to trust God with the burdens of life.” […]

]]>John Piper in his book, “When I don’t Desire God…how to fight for joy, says that we are to fight to know and to take joy in the person of Jesus himself. This should not be a struggle per se. “The fight for joy is the struggle to trust God with the burdens of life.” Our life should be consumed with knowing Christ better and learning to love him more. Anything less is the essence of evil. We are to love him not just decide for him. And this is a lifelong fight as well as the joy of Our Lives.

]]>http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/06/21/instagram-feed-gsubcm20162017/feed/0Unashamedhttp://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/06/20/unashsamed/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/06/20/unashsamed/#respondMon, 20 Jun 2016 19:19:18 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=759Hey pals! 🙂 Hope yall are having a great summer and that the Lord is working so much in each of your lives. The Lord has been working in my life so much over the last couple of weeks and it is such a beautiful thing. He has really been tugging on my heart with […]

Hope yall are having a great summer and that the Lord is working so much in each of your lives. The Lord has been working in my life so much over the last couple of weeks and it is such a beautiful thing. He has really been tugging on my heart with the importance of the Gospel in our lives as Christians and how we can be unashamed. We are given this perfect gift by grace, through faith, and even though we are citizens of the Kingdom, it is still so important for us to remember this truth and share it as much as we can. So this upcoming semester, I would really like to dive into the importance of the Gospel in our discipleship and remind us to keep the Gospel at the center of everything in order to live unashamed lives. I can’t wait to see how He moves in this and how He is working on each of your hearts. Get ready! This year is going to be EPIC. Love you all with the love of the Lord!

]]>http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/06/20/unashsamed/feed/0Look Beyond the Maskhttp://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/06/15/look-beyond-the-mask/
http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/2016/06/15/look-beyond-the-mask/#respondWed, 15 Jun 2016 15:58:33 +0000http://georgiasouthernbcm.com/?p=752Last week I served as Camp Missionary at a Baptist Girls Camp in North Georgia. Each night after the girls had gone to their cabin, part of the camp staff (all college students) met for a Q & A with the 2 missionaries. One of the questions I was asked was what advice would I […]

]]>Last week I served as Camp Missionary at a Baptist Girls Camp in North Georgia. Each night after the girls had gone to their cabin, part of the camp staff (all college students) met for a Q & A with the 2 missionaries. One of the questions I was asked was what advice would I give to them as college students in sharing their faith. I told them that everyone has a story and a mask. By this I mean we all have a story of how we got to where we are now. Many people never have the opportunity to share with anyone about their life. I told the camp staff to be more intentional about listening to others. Through listening to “their story”, you are better able to know how to relate to them and how to incorporate the Gospel into your conversations with them. I also told them that all of us “wear a mask” of some kind to keep us from being hurt or hurt again, fear of being vulnerable (someone seeing the “true you” – weaknesses and all), etc. Be willing to take the time to get to know the person and see what is beyond the mask. Each day this week I have spent some time on campus talking with students and hearing their stories. Most are eager to take a break from studying and are willing to share about themselves. Through these conversations, a Gospel seed is planted.